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  • Jonathan condoles with late Raymond Dokpesi’s family

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan with some DAAR Communications staff

    Former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, on Monday evening, visited the family of late media mogul, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi who passed on earlier today.

    The family of the late businessman had in a statement confirmed his passing, saying that: “High Chief Dokpesi was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

    “High Chief Dokpesi was also a respected and accomplished businessman, a pioneer in the media industry, and a philanthropist who dedicated his life to the service of his country and his community.

    “His legacy will live on through the impact he made on the lives of many.”

    In a tweet, the former president conveyed his condolences to the family over the shock passing, saying that he was a team player and bridge builder who would be missed by all.

    “This evening, I paid a condolence visit to the family of Engr. Raymond Dokpesi to convey my condolences on the shocking passing of the accomplished entrepreneur, media mogul and renowned humanitarian who died on Monday in Abuja.

    “He was a successful businessman and philanthropist who took the art of giving and human relations to a new level.

    “As a patriot and politician, he exemplified the virtues of loyalty, justice, and service. A team player and bridge builder, High Chief Dokpesi played the kind of politics that promoted friendship, ethnic cohesion, and national unity.

    “He will be remembered for his works of charity, devotion to his faith, and inspiring leadership, especially serving as a trailblazer who pioneered private broadcasting and played a major role in advancing media freedom in Nigeria,” Jonathan said.

  • Group sues Uni-Agric Makurdi over illegal appointment of Bursar

    A civil society organisation, Save Nigeria Movement has dragged the Governing Council of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, to court over illegal bursar appointment.

    The Plaintiff, in a suit filed by its Counsel, Barr T. Sorkaa, described the appointment as illegal, and asked the court to stop Mr Ortese Tyoule Simon, from assuming the vacant position of bursar in the institution.

    The group had in the court processes with suit number FHC/MKD/CS/28/2023, said Simon was not qualified for the appointment.

    He prayed the court for an order restraining the defendants in the matter from allowing Simon, who is the 6th defendants in the matter from assuming office.

    Apart from the Governing Council and Simon, other defendants in the matter are the minister of education, minister of agriculture, 

    Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, and the registrar and secretary, governing Council, Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi 

    In the suit, the Plaintiff prayed for the following orders: an order of Interlocutory Injunction of this Honourable Court restraining the 1st to 5th Defendants, Respondents (minister of education, minister of agriculture, 

    Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, and the registrar and secretary, governing Council, Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi)

    from allowing the 6th Defendant/Respondent, (Simon) a Deputy Director, Audit Unit, to assume as  Bursar, Joseph University, Makurdi in contradiction of the Financial Regulations, No. 1709 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2009. 

    SNM also prayed the court to determine Whether or not upon a dispassionate and compound construction of the Federal Universities of Agriculture Act, Cap. F22, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, Federat Universities of Agriculture (Amendment) Act, 2019, Financial Regulations, No. 1709 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2009 and other relevant Statutes, the requirements for appointment into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi which was at least five (5) years experience as a Deputy Bursar was followed by the Selection Board for the appointment by the Governing Council, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi of the 6″ Defendant, a Deputy Director, Audit Unit, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. 

    In the suit, the plaintiff also.prayed the court for the following reliefs: A declaration that the 6th Defendant, a Deputy Director, Audit Unit, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi was not qualified for appointment by the Governing Council, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. A DECLARATION that the Selection Board did not follow the requirements of at least five (5) years experience as a Deputy Bursar in its recommendations to the Governing Council, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, the appointment of the 6th Defendant into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. 

    A declaration that the appointment by the Governing Council, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi of 6th Defendant, a Deputy Director, Audit Unit, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi contradicted 2004, Federal Universities of Agnculture (Amendment) Act, 2019, Finanoal Reguiabons, No. 1709 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2009 and other relevant Statutes by this Honourable Court as to the appointment and Qualification of the 6” Defendant into the vacant positon of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, 

    The group said only the declarations and orders of this Honourable Court can resolve the issue of the requirements or qualifications for the appointment of the 6″ Defendant into the vacant position of Bursar, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi. 

  • Mammoth crowd receive Buhari in Daura

    Former President Muhammadu Buhari has returned home to Daura in Katsina State after serving eight years as President of Nigeria.

    Buhari, his wife Aisha and his children, arrived Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Airport via a Nigerian Air Force aircraft at about 1:30pm.

    He was accompanied by former Ministers of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, that of Communication and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, and his Spokesman, Mr Garba Shehu, among others.

    The former President was received by the newly inaugurated Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar-Radda and his deputy, Alhaji Faruk Lawal.

    Buhari was later conveyed to Daura in a helicopter at about 2:20pm and was received by a tumultuous crowd led by the Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk-Umar.

    The Daura Emirate Council will hold a grand durbar on Tuesday to welcome Buhari back home.

  • Founder of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi is dead

    Founder of DAAR Communications and African Independent Television (AIT) Raymond Dokpesi is dead.

    Dokpesi died on Monday, May 29 2023, his son Raymond Dokpesi jnr said in a statement.

    “High Chief Dokpesi was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him,” Dokpesi said.

    “High Chief Dokpesi was also a respected and accomplished businessman, a pioneer in the media industry, and a philanthropist who dedicated his life to the service of his country and his community. His legacy will live on through the impact he made on the lives of many.”

    According to him, the family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support during their difficult time.

    “We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we mourn the loss of our patriarch. We also ask for privacy during this time as we grieve together as a family,” Dokpesi said.

    “The family will release further details on the funeral arrangements in due course,” he added.

  • Gov Sule, Deputy inaugurated for 2nd term

    Gov Sule, Deputy inaugurated for 2nd term

    Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe were on Monday sworn in for the second term in office by the State Chief Judge (CJ), Justice Aisha Bashir.

    In his inaugural speech at the Lafia Square, the governor expressed gratitude to the people of the state for overwhelmingly voting him in for the second term on March 18.

    He reaffirmed his loyalty to the Nigerian Constitution and promised to continue to do his best to better the welfare of the people and develop the state in the next four years.

    Sule listed his achievements to include the attraction of the organized private sector to invest in various sectors of the economy, the construction of urban and rural roads, construction of schools, and markets in Akwanga, Keffi and Nassarawa-Eggon.

    Others are the construction of bus terminals in Lafia and Karu, employment of over 3,000 teachers, confirmation of appointment of over 2, 000 teachers, and regularisation of the appointment of casual staff in all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

    “We also implemented outstanding promotions of over 10 years, trained and retrained civil servants within and outside the state,” he added.

    Sule governor also said his administration had commenced the construction of a state secretariat to address the challenges of office accommodation and would finish the project before the end of his second tenure.

    He added that the state government had also invested heavily in security and supported security agencies with needed logistics to function properly and would sustain it.

    The governor promised to dedicate the next four years to the development of the state.

    Sule also lauded former President, Muhammadu Buhari for a successful tenure of eight years and his development strides especially in Nasarawa state.

    He said that Buhari gave appointments to sons and daughters of the state into federal positions and executed numerous transformative projects in the state.

    The governor also congratulated the newly inaugurated President, Sen.  Bola Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima, and wished them well as they began their tenure of four years.

    “We have no doubt that his antecedents and past achievements in the development of Nigeria will be brought to bear in his present leadership for the benefit of all Nigerians,” he said.

    He expressed optimism that very soon Nigeria and Nigerians would begin to witness prosperity and development in all sectors under the new administration.

    Earlier, John Mamman, Nasarawa State Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), said the party was aware that the governor would win the March 18 election because of his achievements.

  • We’ll defend Nigeria from terror, criminality – Tinubu

    We’ll defend Nigeria from terror, criminality – Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu has promised to defend Nigeria from terror and all forms of criminality threatening the peace and stability of the country and the sub-region.

    Tinubu said this in his inaugural address after he was sworn in as the 16th democratically elected president of Nigeria on Monday in Abuja.

    He said that security shall be the top priority of his administration, saying that neither prosperity nor justice could prevail amidst insecurity and violence.

    “To effectively tackle this menace, we shall reform both our security Doctrine and its Architecture.

    “We shall invest more in our security personnel, and this means more than an increase in number.

    “We shall provide, better training, equipment, pay and firepower,” he said.

    Tinubu said his mission was to improve the lives of Nigerians in a manner that nurtured humanity, encourage compassion toward one another, and duly rewards collective effort to resolve the social ills that sought to divide the nation.

    “Our constitution and laws give us a nation on paper, saying we must work harder at bringing these noble documents to life by strengthening the bonds of economic collaboration, social cohesion, and cultural understanding,” he said.

    He called for the development of a shared sense of fairness and equity, adding that the South must not only seek good for itself but must understand that its interests were served when good come to the North.

    “The North must see the South likewise.

    “Whether from the winding creeks of the Niger Delta, the vastness of the northern savannah, the boardrooms of Lagos, the bustling capital of Abuja, or the busy markets of Onitsha, you are all my people.

    “As your president, I shall serve with prejudice toward none but compassion and amity towards all.

    “In the coming days and weeks, my team will publicly detail key aspects of our programme,” he said. 

  • Buni sworn-in as Yobe Gov, pledges to serve with dignity, honour

    Alhaji Mai Mala Buni was, on Monday, inaugurated as the fourth democratically-elected governor of Yobe, with a pledge that he would serve the state with dignity and honour.

    Speaking at the inauguration in Damaturu on Monday, Buni thanked the people of the state for finding him worthy of being re-elected for a second term in office.

    “We are indeed very grateful. I extend hands of fellowship to all and sundry to join us in the task of building our dear state.

    “It is a duty we must discharge with dignity and honour. We are first and foremost collective stakeholders, dedicated to making Yobe State peaceful and prosperous, irrespective of any differences,” he said.

    The governor noted that his first tenure had recorded tremendous success in security, health care, agriculture, commerce, infrastructure, mass housing, water resources, environment, governance, mineral resources, law and order, public service reform and ease of doing business.

    He listed some of the achievements to include: resettling of persons displaced by Boko Haram, rehabilitation of all schools destroyed by the insurgents and rehabilitation and upgrade of 138 primary health care centres.

    Others, he said, were the establishment of livestock development centres in three senatorial districts, completion of three modern markets, construction of 2,500 housing units and enactment of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, among others.

    The governor paid special tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari for his ‘enormous support’ to the state and wished him well in his future endeavours.

    “President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, Jagoran Talakawa, occupies a special place in my heart and the hearts of all Yobeans. We thank Allah the Almighty for enabling him to complete his eight-year tenure peacefully and strongly.

    “Allah endowed him with excellent health to the pleasure of his teeming well-wishers. Alhamdulillah. His administration had invested in the largest infrastructural development and had restored the integrity and dignity of all Nigerians.

    “I enjoyed a special relationship with President Buhari. I consulted him regularly for fatherly advice and will continue to do so.

    “As the president retires to Daura and into the hall of elder statesmen, I wish him Allah’s blessings, excellent health and happy retirement,” he said.

    Buni congratulated President Bola Tinubu and Vice- President Kashim Shettima for their election and inauguration, assuring them of his maximum cooperation.

    “President Tinubu deserved to be elected, more than any of the presidential candidates, given that he was at the forefront of restoring democracy in Nigeria.

    “On behalf of the good people of Yobe State, I assure him and the vice-president of our commitment and support in the onerous task ahead,” he said. 

  • Radda inaugurated as new Katsina Governor

    *Pledges peace, prosperity

    The newly sworn-in Governor of Katsina State, Malam Dikko Umar-Radda, says his administration’s priority is to provide peace and prosperity for the state.

    Umar-Radda stated this in his inauguration speech shortly after being sworn-in as the governor of the state at Muhammad Dikko Stadium, Katsina on Monday.

    “Over the next four years, our task as government is to provide peace and prosperity for the people of Katsina State.

    “The insecurity issue will be paramount to this administration, and I will deploy all available resources in ending banditry and criminality across the state, with the will of Allah.

    “We will also engage communities to ensure that security is sustained.

    “Those affected by banditry and insecurity, I assure you, my administration will do its best to build your lives.

    “We will focus on your mental well-being and provide special support to women and girls who have endured unimaginable pains,” he said.

    The new governor admonished those engaging in banditry to shun the act and reintegrate themselves into society or be dealt with severely.

    He also urged the youth in the state to shun drug abuse, time-wasting, and all forms of criminality.

    “We will work with relevant law enforcement agencies to provide social order and overhaul the security of the state,” he said.

    Umar-Radda said that the public sector must be up-scaled to work more efficiently, in line with the strategic policies of the administration.

    According to him, promotion and placement of civil/public servants would be entirely on merit, and not through favouritism.

    “We will apply stick and carrot measures in our approach to rewarding performance. We will establish key performance indicators across all cadres in the public service,” he said. 

    The governor said that his administration would develop an agricultural value chain along essential commodities and ensure that every local government benefitted from the activities in which it had comparative and competitive advantages. 

    On education, he said that the best students would have access to world-class academic facilities across the state.

    “I call on all teachers to embrace our drive to improve the educational system so that we can produce students who can compete with their peers in Nigeria.

    “Our future development will depend on the educated population ready to contribute to the state.

    “We will also focus on technical and vocational education for those who need skills to become productive in society,” he said.

    Umar-Radda further stated that government would improve access to quality healthcare at all levels and support small-scale businesses with new initiatives.

    He also said that his administration would introduce Treasury Single Account (TSA) to strengthen accountability and close all loopholes in the financial system.

    The governor further stated that government would conduct a comprehensive staff audit to eliminate ghost workers to ensure that public servants serve the government efficiently.

    He expressed his administration’s readiness to partner with the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, to bring development to the people of the state.

    The governor, who noted that politics was now over, said that he belonged to every person in the state, hence the need for all to join hands with him and move the state forward.

    He warned that he would not hesitate to change any member of his administration who failed to deliver on his mandate, as the people of the state deserved nothing less from his government.

  • Fintiri sworn-in for 2nd term in office

    Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa has been sworn-in for a second term of office in Yola.

    The Oath of office was administered to the governor by the state Chief judge, Justice Hapsat Abdurrahaman in Yola on Monday.

    Abdurrahaman also administered the oath of office to the deputy governor, Prof. Kaletapwa Farauta.

    In his address, the governor thanked the people for their resilience, commitment, and dedication to the democratic idles.

    He said the 2023 governorship election witnessed an unprecedented drama, especially during the supplementary election.

    Fintiri said that his administration recorded tremendous achievements in infrastructure, education, agriculture transparency, and accountability.
    He added that other areas were environment and climate change, food security, civil service reforms, youth development, commerce and industry, and security.

    The governor promised to consolidate the gains recorded in his administration.
    “The oath we just took is a sacred act not just a constitutional duty,” he said.
    Alhaji Attahiru Shehu, the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, thanked the electorate for voting for the party to ensure Fintiri’s second term in office.

    The ceremony was attended by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, traditional rulers politicians, members of the diplomatic corps, and former governors of Adamawa, Boni Haruna, and Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankombo.

  • I’ll revisit naira redesign policy, says Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu, has promised to revisit the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Tinubu, who said this in his inaugural speech in Abuja on Monday, however, said that his administration would treat both the old and the new naira notes as legal tender.

    He said that the policy was harshly applied by CBN, given the number of unbanked Nigerians.

    “Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN,” he said.

    Tinubu said that the country’s monetary policy needed thorough housecleaning.

    He urged the CBN to work toward a unified exchange rate.

    “This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment, and jobs that power the real economy.
    “The interest rate needs to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy,” he said.